Chapter 4: Fortuitous Union

AY as a disciplined branch manager, he does wake up very early and get prepared for work but this particular day, he woke up earlier than usual. His whistle of joy woke Sophie up.

She came downstairs seeing AY singing 'Angel of my life' by Paul play. After greeting him, she went straight into the kitchen to prepare his breakfast while he went into his room to get ready for work.

Getting to the dining table, Sophie came with the food. He held her by her right hand singing and she shook her head looking into his eyes to deduce why this sudden mood this morning. While he was holding her hand, Ayat called her and she picked.

They chatted for a while before ending the call, AY was looking at her. Sophie told him;

"Abeg oo, this your look, we didn't say anything about you oo, it was Ayat that call." He smiled and finished his food before heading to the office.

Getting to the office, he called Ayat to confirm if she will make it and she promise she would.

He was attending to the files on his table when his friend Salim entered. AY told him about the new maiden. Salim started calling AY 'okoh Ayat'. He just smiled and told him he was not in for his jokes this morning that he had files to attend to before the day end.

Salim smiled and called him okoh Ayat again before leaving the office while AY continue attending to the files on his desk.

Ayat was on annual leave so she spends her time with her brother Abubsy in the house chatting. Abubsy told her many stories about life in UK and got her interested in travelling there someday. She told him about her date with AY later in the day and he asked her hope it not in AY's house and she said; no, it at joe chicken republic. He gave her his consent.

Three ladies called him within an hour, she asked him who they were and he told her they were his babes. She looked at him, shook her head and said:

"Hmm... big bros, it not good to play with the feelings of ladies," resting her head on his shoulder.

"I am not a player, they just kept coming, sha I have one sweetie I want to introduce to the family," he said typing on his laptop.

"We are still saying the same thing, you are still playing them," she said.

She then started preaching to him about the negative side of keeping many girlfriends, he then looked at her and said jokingly looking straight into her eyes like a FBI agent asking a suspect a question;

"Abi? May you live long the saint of daddy's family, I just came for a chat and you have started preaching I think we need to open a preaching house for you," he said leaving to the door when he turned back and saw her expressing sadness on her face.

He came back and told her sorry that he was only joking and she told him he have to take her out for her to forgive him.

He looked at her and busted into laughter remembering her of her date later in the day and she told him;

"you are a brother, AY is a friend so you have to." He promise to look into it and left.

AY closed earlier from work and got home early, took his bath and wore a limited edition black shoe, a slim fitted white trouser with a black leather belt, a white slim fitted packet shirt with a black neck tie with an expensive golden chain wristwatch and a black body fitting blazers.

He sprayed his dress with his expensive cologne. Immediately Sophie saw him coming downstairs, she said;

" brother, are you going for a fashion contest?" She asked smiling.

He smiles and didn't reply, she looked at him in the eye and he told her in a flattering tone that he knows she is a psychologist but please, he is not her patient and she should stop looking at him like that.

She smiled and asked where he was up to and he told her he was going on a date. She laughed loudly telling him her instincts never fails her and waved him a bye that he should buy her goodie goodie when he returns. He picked his car key and went out gently admiring his dress.

Ayat on the other hand was putting on a very long black hijab with socks, a hand gloves and a likab. She picked her car key and drove straight to joe chicken republic.

AY arrived three minute earlier than Ayat. They sat down facing each other, he looked at her without saying a word.

"You are making me feel uncomfortable, why this look," she asked.

"Never mind, what do you care for."

"I don't eat in public, just anything I could sip," She said adjusting the gloves on her hands.

AY called the waitress and ordered a full chicken with juice. While she was sipping her juice, he was devouring his chicken. They continued chatting when he told her he had something bothering him that he would want to discuss. She told him she was all ears.

" You see," he started looking at her straight in the eyes while she tried avoiding his eyes.

"I don't normally say this but I have to, since the day I saw your beautiful self in that white hijab and black likab, I had not been able to take away my taughts from you, am sorry I have to say this, 'I think I love', could you give me a chance to prove it," he said holding the knive slightly perpendicular to the chicken.

"Hmm.... nooo, I beg you to take your heart to someone else, I just can't. We are not compatible, let just be friends," she said now resting her back on the chair and holding the tumbler.

"Please, I don't see you as a friend, we can't be just friends. The future I see for us is bright. Oh my dear Ayat, why not see through the tone of my voice," he asked moving his hand close to her as if he wanted touching her. He was able to convince her a bit.

She told him she never knew it will get to this, she will have to think about it. They then discussed random topics like politics, religion, fashion, technology, science before ending the date around 6:30pm. He went back home as a fulfilled man assuring himself all is well while she drove very fast to get to the house before 7:00pm.

He was awake at night thinking about her and he picked his pen to write out a piece, the write-up is below.

"Glittering stars, shiny moon, snow on the mountain all out for a show of gratitude to this cutie cherry. Ayat they call her, my lady I know she is."

After writing this, he read it aloud and dropped it under his pillow and slept off.